Syria, Russia blast opposition at faltering peace talks…Read full details

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United Nations (UN) Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura (2nd-R) attends a meeting of Intra-Syrian peace talks at the European headquarters of the United Nations in Geneva, on March 2, 2017. Russia on Thursday accused Syria's main opposition group of "sabotaging" stumbling UN-led Syrian peace talks in Geneva. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the refusal of the main opposition High Negotiating Committee (HNC) to cooperate on an equal footing with two Russian-backed groups meant that it was "de facto sabotaging the full dialogue with both the Syrian government delegation and with other opposition groups".<br />PHILIPPE DESMAZES / AFP

Syria on Thursday accused the main opposition of taking UN-backed peace talks “hostage” over its refusal to include terrorism on the agenda, warning it would be reponsible if the sputtering negotiations fail.

Russia, a key ally of Damascus, also attacked the opposition led by the High Negotiations Committee, which said it was pinning its faltering hopes on the new US administration of President Donald Trump.

“Progress in the Geneva round must not be held hostage by the Riyadh platform,” lead Syrian negotiator Bashar al-Jaafari told reporters, referring to the Saudi-backed HNC.

Speaking after confirming that Syrian forces had “liberated” the historic city of Palmyra from the Islamic State group, he said the opposition “will be responsible for any failure of the Geneva talks”.

The HNC said Wednesday that terrorism could not be added to the faltering talks, launched by UN envoy Staffan de Mistura last Thursday and which are expected to stumble to an end by this weekend despite few signs of progress.

The opposition has charged that Damascus fixates on the role of jihadists in the conflict to distract from discussions on political transition and organising elections in the war-ravaged country.

“We will not deal with it, and if (de Mistura) adds it in any time we will not deal with it or discuss it,” HNC delegation chief Yehya Kodmani told reporters on Wednesday.

Jaafari said that answer “did not come as a surprise”, in part because “a lot of the members of the HNC are considered terrorists”, a charge he has levelled in previous rounds.

The issue has overshadowed the Geneva talks, in particular after a suicide assault in Syria’s third-largest city of Homs last weekend which killed dozens of people.

Earlier Thursday in Moscow a Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman accused the Syrian opposition of “sabotaging” the Geneva talks.

“The results of the first days of the intra-Syrian dialogues, as before, raise questions over the ability of the Syrian opposition representatives to reach a deal,” said spokeswoman Maria Zakharova.

She added that the HNC’s refusal to cooperate on an equal footing with two Russian-backed groups meant that it was “de facto sabotaging the full dialogue with both the Syrian government delegation and with other opposition groups”.

Speaking late Wednesday in Geneva, the HNC said it is counting on the new US Trump administration to play a “positive” role after “catastrophic” policy mistakes under his predecessor Barack Obama.

“We are here to… send a message to the new American administration which is trying… to fight terrorism, that we are the side working for peace and security in Syria,” said HNC delegation chief Nasr al-Hariri.

“The Syrian people are paying the price because of the Obama administration’s catastrophic mistakes,” he told a small group of journalists.

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Syrian forces enter Daesh- controlled Palmyra

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Syrian army forces have reportedly entered the ancient city of Palmyra, which fell to the Takfiri Daesh terrorist group for a second time a few months ago.

“The army has entered a western neighborhood of Palmyra and has seized control of part of it,” Rami Abdel Rahman, the head of the so-called Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, told AFP on Wednesday.

Earlier in the day, a Hezbollah media report said the Syrian army forces and their allied fighters had recaptured the Palmyra Citadel, situated on the city’s western outskirts.

The Syrian troops also managed to retake a palace complex to the city’s southwest, the report added.

Earlier in the day, an unnamed Syrian military source told Reuters that the Syrian troops, backed by Russia’s air cover, had advanced to the outskirts of Palmyra, also known in Arabic as Tadmur, in the last few days and their “entry to the city will begin very soon.”

The developments came on the same day as the Syrian military announced the recapture of an area called the “Palmyra triangle” a few kilometers west of the city.

Meanwhile, Syria’s official SANA news agency reported that the gain followed fierce clashes between Daesh militants and the Syrian army and its allied fighters, leaving scores of the terrorists dead or injured.

Additionally, the so-called Syrian Observatory for Human Rights confirmed that the government forces were expected to storm Palmyra at “any moment.”

Russia has also expressed its readiness to deploy aircraft in support of the Palmyra operation.

The Syrian army, backed by Russia’s counter-terrorism airstrikes, liberated Palmyra in March 2016 after Daesh held the city for 10 months.

However, Daesh managed to seize the historic city once again in December 2016 after days of intense fighting as the Syrian military focused mainly on defeating terrorist groups in eastern Aleppo.

During both of its spells in control of Palmyra, Daesh razed ancient monuments and dismantled key parts of the city’s UNESCO World Heritage ruins.

The Syrian forces have been fighting different foreign-backed militant groups wreaking havoc in the Middle Eastern country since 2011.

Over the past few months, troops have made sweeping gains against Takfiri terrorists who have lately increased their acts of violence across Syria following a series of defeats in Aleppo and elsewhere.

Source: PressTV

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Federer stunned by world 116 Donskoy in Dubai…See full details

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Roger Federer of Switzerland returns the ball to Russia's Evgeny Donskoy during their ATP tennis match as part of the Dubai Duty Free Championships on March 1, 2017, in Dubai. PHOTO: STRINGER / AFP

Sluggish Roger Federer rued a “crazy” failure to bury three match points in falling to a shock three-set defeat to Russian world number 116 Evgeny Donskoy in Dubai on Wednesday.

Former world number one Federer, 35, who lifted his 18th Grand Slam title at the Australian Open in January, had match points in the second-set tiebreak and also led 5-1 in the third-set breaker.

But qualifier Donskoy, 26, battled back to stun the third seed and set up a quarter-final clash against Lucas Pouille of France with a thrilling 3-6, 7-6 (9/7), 7-6 (7/5) victory.

“I just never really got going tonight and sort of felt heavy. But look, those matches happen frequently, where you just got to somehow find a way to come through,” said Swiss legend Federer, who was chasing a record eighth title at the Dubai Championships.

“Tonight I was convinced that if I came through I was going to feel better tomorrow. I came (to Dubai) early. I was perfectly prepared, it’s just a tough loss tonight.

“So many chances… It was crazy.”

Federer, who saw his eight-match win streak in 2017 ended by Donskoy, admitted he was at a loss to explain why he felt so lacking in energy.

“There are no excuses there,” he said.

“I just think it’s still the beginning of the comeback (after a leg injury picked up at the Australian Open) and I’ve got to take the positives out of playing again a tournament where I feel I’m quite healthy and I’m happy I got over the injury I sustained at the Australian Open.”

Top seed Andy Murray had no such trouble and said he was getting closer to his brilliant best as he hammered Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 6-2, 6-0 to surge into the quarters.

The world number one’s rapid victory lined up a Thursday meeting with Philipp Kohlschreiber after the German beat Russian Daniil Medvedev 6-4, 6-4.

“It was very tough at the start, we both had chances in those early games,” Murray, who has never won the Dubai showpiece, said.

“I played very well. I served better today than in the previous round. I’m certainly playing better than I did at the start of the year. Everything worked well tonight.

“I moved well and played offensive. I was focused throughout. I didn’t give any cheap points away.”

Murray and second-round victim Garcia-Lopez had not faced off since 2012, with the Spaniard winning their last meeting at Indian Wells.

But there was never a hint of a repeat.

After the first four games lasting half an hour, the pace picked up with Murray winning the first set.

He tightened his grip, losing just one point on his serve in the second set on his way to a dominant victory.

Gael Monfils held off Britain’s hard-charging Dan Evans with a gutsy 6-4, 3-6, 6-1 victory.

The Frenchman is playing in the emirate for only the second time in his career after a first-round loss in 2008.

The world number 12 moves into a clash with Spain’s Fernando Verdasco, who needed almost two and a half hours to overcome sixth-seeded compatriot Roberto Bautista Agut 6-4, 3-6, 7-5.

“It was a great match,” said Monfils. “In the second set he started really going for his shots.

“I had to try and control him, I finally found a way to win.”

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Noma – Moving On ft. Sketchy Bongo [Mp3 + Lyrics]

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JOY, the debut album by Noma Khumalo, the winner of Idols South Africa Season 2 winner is out in digital stores and local stores and Moving On is one of our favorite songs on the 10 tracks project.

Moving On features music producer Sketchy Bongo. Listen below!

DOWNLOAD

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Wenger given four-game ban for touchline row (Read full details)

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Arsenal's French manager Arsene Wenger (2nd L) is sent to the stands by English referee Jonathan Moss (L) as fourth official Anthony Taylor (R) looks on during the English Premier League football match between Arsenal and Burnley at the Emirates Stadium in London on January 22, 2017.<br />Arsenal won the game 2-1. / AFP PHOTO / Ian KINGTON /

Arsene Wenger was given a four-game touchline ban with “immediate effect” by the Football Association on Friday after accepting a misconduct charge following an incident that saw the veteran Arsenal manager sent off in Sunday’s dramatic win over Burnley.

Wenger was sent to the stands by referee Jon Moss after allegedly using abusive or insulting language towards fourth official Anthony Taylor after Burnley were given a stoppage-time penalty at the Emirates Stadium.

The French coach, 67, tried to watch the final moments of the match from the entrance to the tunnel and was shown pushing Taylor when the official asked him to leave the area.

Arsenal went on to win the game 2-1 after being awarded a penalty of their own in the final minute, but Wenger’s post-match apology for his behaviour couldn’t stop the FA, English football’s governing body, charging him.

The FA said Friday that it was alleged that Wenger, Arsenal’s manager since 1996, had “in or around the 92nd minute, used abusive and/or insulting words towards the fourth official”.

The FA statement added: “It was further alleged that following his dismissal from the technical area, his behaviour in remaining in the tunnel area and making physical contact with the fourth official amounted to improper conduct.”

Wenger was also fined £25,000 ($31,000, 29,000 euros) after formally admitting the charge at a personal hearing before an independent regulatory commission.

His ban will start with Arsenal’s FA Cup fourth-round tie away to Premier League rivals Southampton on Saturday.

Wenger given four-game ban for touchline row

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Trump vows to defer to Pentagon chief’s opposition to torture

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US President Donald Trump speaks during a joint press conference with Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May in the East Room of the White House on January 27, 2017 in Washington, DC.<br />MANDEL NGAN / AFP

US President Donald Trump said Friday that he will defer to his Pentagon chief regarding interrogation techniques widely condemned as torture, although he himself continues to support their use.

Defense Secretary James Mattis “will override because I’m giving him that power,” Trump told a joint press conference with British Prime Minister Theresa May. “He is an expert. He is highly respected.”

“And he has stated publicly that he does not necessarily believe in torture or waterboarding or however you want to define it — enhanced interrogation I guess would be words that a lot of people would like to use,” Trump said, adding that he himself does “not necessarily agree.”

Trump’s views on torture have raised concerns that he will try to reverse laws put into place by predecessor Barack Obama outlawing the brutal interrogation techniques like waterboarding used by the CIA on suspects following the September 11, 2001 attacks.

US media earlier this week reported that the Trump administration was drafting a order that would reauthorize the “black site” prisons around the world where US officials subjected suspects allegedly tied to Al-Qaeda to now-illegal “enhanced interrogation techniques.”

White House press secretary Sean Spicer denied that the document had originated in the White House.

But in an interview Wednesday Trump said that torture is effective.

“Do I feel it works? Absolutely, I feel it works,” he told ABC News.

During a hearing earlier this month to confirm his position as director of the Central Intelligence Agency, former Congressman Mike Pompeo said he would not back torture and “can’t imagine” that he would be asked to do so by Trump.

But he suggested that he could support changing the law, if useful.

“If experts believed current law was an impediment to gathering vital intelligence to protect the country, I would want to understand such impediments and whether any recommendations were appropriate for changing current law,” he said.

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UN holds off action over new Israeli settler homes (Read full details)

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The UN Security Council met behind closed doors on Wednesday to discuss Israel’s plan to build new settler homes in the Palestinian West Bank, but took no action.

Council members heard a report from UN envoy Nickolay Mladenov after the Israeli government approved a major expansion of 2,500 homes, in defiance of a UN resolution that demanded an end to settlement construction.

The United States refrained from using its veto, abstaining from the vote in late December and allowing the resolution criticizing Israel to pass during the final weeks of former president Barack Obama’s administration.

During the closed council meeting on Wednesday, the US representative did not take the floor to speak, diplomats said.

The settlement building “needs to be condemned,” Swedish Ambassador Olof Skoog told reporters.

“We believe that any action that is taken in violation of international law or Security Council resolution 2234, regardless of who violates that resolution, needs to be condemned,” he said.

The ambassador, who holds the council presidency this month, said council members received an update of the situation but that no one pushed for immediate action during the talks, requested by Bolivia.

Incoming US Ambassador Nikki Haley, confirmed in her post this week, has yet to present her credentials to UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres.

Palestinian Ambassador Riyad Mansour told reporters the council must ensure that its own resolutions are upheld and that Israel must not be allowed to “get away with it” by building more settlements.

The Swedish ambassador said that despite taking no immediate action, “everyone in the council that spoke today is eager to make sure we find ways to minimize the effects of unilateral action.”

Haley told her Senate confirmation hearing that she supports President Donald Trump’s plan to move the US embassy to Jerusalem, an action Arab governments would consider provocative.

Guterres is due to follow up on the resolution in March by reporting to the council on Israeli settlement activity.

The United Nations on Tuesday denounced Israeli initiatives to accelerate settlement construction on land earmarked to be part of a future Palestinian state.

“For the secretary general, there is no plan B for the two states solution,” UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said.

UN holds off action over new Israeli settler homes

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UN holds off action over new Israeli settler homes

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The UN Security Council met behind closed doors on Wednesday to discuss Israel’s plan to build new settler homes in the Palestinian West Bank, but took no action.

Council members heard a report from UN envoy Nickolay Mladenov after the Israeli government approved a major expansion of 2,500 homes, in defiance of a UN resolution that demanded an end to settlement construction.

The United States refrained from using its veto, abstaining from the vote in late December and allowing the resolution criticizing Israel to pass during the final weeks of former president Barack Obama’s administration.

During the closed council meeting on Wednesday, the US representative did not take the floor to speak, diplomats said.

The settlement building “needs to be condemned,” Swedish Ambassador Olof Skoog told reporters.

“We believe that any action that is taken in violation of international law or Security Council resolution 2234, regardless of who violates that resolution, needs to be condemned,” he said.

The ambassador, who holds the council presidency this month, said council members received an update of the situation but that no one pushed for immediate action during the talks, requested by Bolivia.

Incoming US Ambassador Nikki Haley, confirmed in her post this week, has yet to present her credentials to UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres.

Palestinian Ambassador Riyad Mansour told reporters the council must ensure that its own resolutions are upheld and that Israel must not be allowed to “get away with it” by building more settlements.

The Swedish ambassador said that despite taking no immediate action, “everyone in the council that spoke today is eager to make sure we find ways to minimize the effects of unilateral action.”

Haley told her Senate confirmation hearing that she supports President Donald Trump’s plan to move the US embassy to Jerusalem, an action Arab governments would consider provocative.

Guterres is due to follow up on the resolution in March by reporting to the council on Israeli settlement activity.

The United Nations on Tuesday denounced Israeli initiatives to accelerate settlement construction on land earmarked to be part of a future Palestinian state.

“For the secretary general, there is no plan B for the two states solution,” UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said.

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